1874 Northwich vs Cammell Laird

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Recap

1874 5-0 Cammell Laird 1907

By Jack Owen

A five star display from 1874 ensured the Greens would end the night in joint 1st place in the Hallmark Security Premier League. Mark Jones replaced Chris Middleton in the heart of the 1874 defence as the only change to the starting eleven that drew 2-2 at Barnoldswick at the weekend.

74 started the game quickest, and a neat one-two between Paul Connor and Stuart Wellstead earned an early free kick out wide. Tom Bailey took the responsibility, but his cross was flicked behind for an early corner just as it appeared to be finding its way towards Hind at the back post. The resulting corner was met by Ryan Mitchell but he was adjudged offside.

1874 took the lead on the 12th minute as Tom Bailey found space after good link up play with his midfield but his effort on goal was palmed away by the keeper but, the ever-alert Sam Hind was on hand to head it in to the back of the net for six yards out.

74 added a second goal just 3 minutes later, when Scott McGowan was on hand to bag his sixth goal in four starts. He latched on to a cross to turn neatly and fire an effort into the bottom left hand corner of the goal, giving the keeper no chance of saving.

The pressure continued from 1874, and it was McGowan again who had the next chance. However, after he had found space in the area to meet Stuart Wellstead’s cross, he proceeded to mistime his header only managing to put his effort over the cross bar.

A crazy spell saw 1874 have five efforts on goal within a matter of seconds, as a game of pinball ensued in the Laird’s penalty box, but the visitors managed to clear the danger before Chappell could score after the ball had broken loose to him.

Mark Jones was next to have an effort stopped by the over-worked Lairds defence. He rose highest to meet Wellstead’s corner kick and headed the ball towards the right hand corner of the goal, however the fullback was in the right place at the right time to head away to prevent another goal.

But the visitors couldn’t do anything to stop a third goal for 74 as a quick exchange of passes between McGowan and Tom Bailey, resulted in the latter placing the ball in to the bottom corner of the goal from the edge of the area. The goal was Bailey’s seventh of the season.

Rallied at the break, Cammell Laird came out looking for an early goal in an attempt to get back into the game, but an effort from range from the Laird’s winger was held well by Greg Hall.

After 69 minutes Cammell Laird were reduced to ten men as Hackett was then shown a red card for a late tackle and just seven minutes later 74 added another goal to their tally when Scott McGowan nipped in to poke the ball towards the goal – his effort looked as if it was stopped on the line by the Laird’s keeper but the assistant referee quickly signalled that the ball had crossed the line.

Jack Woolley replaced Tom Bailey, and he quickly got involved, showing good pace to win the ball ahead of a Laird’s defender to cut inside and forced the keeper into making a neat save with his legs to keep the score line at 4-0.

An excellent all-round performance was capped off with a special goal as, Mark Jones, dominant in his role at the back, advanced forward with the ball, found Sam Hind, and the forward only had one thing on his mind, he cut in from the right and unleashed a great effort that flew into the top corner of the goal in the 89th minute putting the gloss on a fantastic team performance.